Two of a Kind
by Amelia Wingheart
Summary: A girl battles with her mental and physical demons in an attempt to keep her little brother safe from all those that may cause him harm while exchanging herself to the darkness.
1. The Beginning of the Truth

"How the hell am I supposed to just stand here, and wait while my bro is over three days late returning!" I mutter as I walk around my uncle's house...err...barn, I guess...but who's keeping tally! I continue to pace until I hear the familiar bickering of my cousin, Roran, and my bro, Eragon. I run to the kitchen, and practically jump on my bro's back.

"YOU'RE BACK!" I yell, and feel him chuckle. Our uncle walks into the room at that moment, and after seeing the three of us, he points to three chairs. We all instantly sit down.

"What is it, uncle?" My bro asks. He looks at our uncle with a innocent glint in his eyes.

"The three of you need to start acting like the adults you're soon going to be. Especially you, Sheryl! You are already a full grown woman!" He shakes his head, and walks towards the door. As soon as he's out of the room, we all burst out laughing.

"So, tell me, Eragon. Did you manage to get us any food out there?" Roran asks, and both of us watch my bro expectantly. He takes a wrapped package out of his bag. I examine it until the smell hits me. I laugh, earning me a look from both of them.

"Uncle's going to KILL you, bro!" I yell, grinning.

"Where did you get that from, anyway?" Roran asks. We look at Eragon, waiting for an excuse. I watch as my bro looks at the ground, blushing.

"K...Katrina gave it to me." He mutters. I glare at him.  
_  
'I can't BELIEVE he excepted food from that...that...WITCH!'_ I growl mentally. Eragon looks at me as though he could sense the hostility from me.

"Something wrong, bro?" I ask, looking at him with a grin. He shakes his head.

"No, nothing. So, did you find something to occupy yourself with while I was gone, Sher?" He asks, looking back at me, then turns to look at Roran as Roran slowly backs towards the door. I grin even bigger at the look on his face.

"As a matter-of-fact, yes, I have! I met a guy in the village and spend every spare moment I can with him." Eragon looks at Roran, and he stops his hasty retreat long enough to nod. Eragon's mouth drops.

"Do you LIKE him?" He asks. I grin evilly, and turn to walk out of the house. "Hey! Sher! TELL ME!" He yells, running out the door after me. He watches as I jump onto the back of one of uncle's horses, and ride towards the village.

"You know, cuz, your sister's kind of strange compared to the rest of the family..." Roran says as he comes up behind Eragon.

"Yeah, I noticed that a few years ago." Eragon responds, watching the direction I had disappeared towards. "So, who's this guy she's been seeing?" When Roran doesn't answer, Eragon turns to look at him.

"Sorry, cuz, but you're going to have to get her to tell you." Eragon glares at Roran, and Roran shakes his head. "No. We both know that she would KILL me if she found out that I told you."

"She won't find out! I swear I won't tell her." Roran shakes his head. "Fine. I'll find out on my own!" Eragon mutters as he grabs one of the other horses.

Once he had gotten to Carvahall, he dismounts the horse, and walks towards the center of the village. Once there, he sees me with a guy. Eragon starts walking towards us until he sees that we're fighting.

"Good! Now, you must learn how to harness all that energy you have, and turn it into a useable weapon that you can use to fight with!" The stranger says as he knocks me to the ground. He puts the blade of his swords to my neck. Eragon was just about to intervene when the stranger moves the blade on my neck. He looks at me, and smiles.

"How do I DO that?" I ask as he takes the blade off of my neck, and I jump to my feet. He grins, and walks towards me.

"You have to let go of all of your connections to the earth. Then you will truly BE ready." He says, as he snakes his arms around my waist. I close my eyes, and try to concentrate on what I was instructed to do. After only a few moments, my eyes fly open when I hear a very angry voice.

"Okay, I think that's about enough of that!" I look around Erayn's shoulder, only to see a very pissed off Eragon.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here?" I yell, wiggling out of Erayn's embrace. I walk towards Eragon, and as soon as I was within reaching distance, his arm shoots out, and grabs my wrist.

"We're leaving! NOW!" He says, and I turn a apologetic look to Erayn, who merely smiles. Eragon grabs the two horses lead ropes, and drags both me and them away. Once we hit the edge of the village, I pull my wrist from him, and glare at him.

"What the hell's your problem, bro?" I yell. He turns to look at me.

"What the hell were you DOING?" He yells back. I take a step towards him.

"Spending time with my fiancée!" I say, holding up my left hand so the ring on it glitters in the sun.

"F...fiancée?" He stutters. I shake my head.

"Yes, Eragon, fiancée! I got engaged the night that you left." I grab my horse, and lead her towards the farm. He catches up to me, and steps in front of me.

"When were you planning on telling me?" He asks.

"I don't know..." Eragon watches as a tear falls down my face.

"You don't WANT to marry him." He says in a matter-of-fact tone. I look at him with a sad smile.

"What I want doesn't matter. It's what uncle NEEDS." Eragon's mouth drops open.

"You're doing this for...MONEY!" He shouts, outraged.

"I don't have much of a choice! I'm the last female in the family!" I yell, and after getting on my horse, I run away.

"What the hell have I done!" Eragon jumps onto his horse, and takes off running.

Over the next four or five months, I haven't really seen my bro. One night, while I was spending time with Erayn in the village, we see some strangers in cloaks walking around the village. They notice us, and come at us.

"Why is it that the one time I need to use my sword, is the one time that I CAN'T! This is stupid!" I mutter as I take a fighting stance.

Erayn runs at the strangers, and they fight for a while. I watch as Erayn falls to the ground, wounded. When I go to run to him, I feel something go around my waist. I look up to see one of the strangers holding me by the waist.

"We hasss you now, preciousss. Don't worry about him. He'ssss dead." Tears fall from my eyes, and I try wiggling to escape. Before I knew what was going on, my sight goes black.

I wake up, and rub the back of my head. "W...where am I?" I question no one in particular. My eyes shoot open when I hear a ominous voice answer me.

"Why, my dear, you're in Gil'ead." My eyes travel to where the voice was coming from, and I see a man with pale skin, red eyes, and blood red hair.

"Gil'ead...wasn't I just in Carvahall?" I question. Without any warning, his hand comes across my face, leaving it bruised and pulsing. I stare at him defiantly, without a single tear in my eye. For some reason, ever since I turned 14 I have been unable to cry. My uncle had the doctors look at me, and they say it was my choice, that I chose not to cry, so I couldn't. They say I have to choose to cry to be able to again. So, no crying.

"You aren't to ask any questions, understand?" He growls. I stare at him with the defiant look in my eyes. "Tell me, dear, what exactly is your connection to Eragon?" He asks.

"Like I would ever tell you!" I growl, and as soon as the words were out of my mouth, I feel something invisible wrap around me. I yelp in pain.

"You sure about that?" He asks, and I look up at him, glaring.

"You will NEVER get me to tell you ANYTHING about it!" I say through gritted teeth. He merely smiles.

"Oh, but I think you eventually will, my dear. After all, there's only so long that someone can take being tortured before they give in. I have all the time in the world to wait, my dear." He walks out of the cell, saying, "Until next time, my dear."

Over the next few weeks/months, I get tortured a few times a hour/day. I'm not really sure which. I have no way of knowing how long it's been. I got moved to a cell without any windows on my second day here. I had squeezed through the bars during the guard's change of shift. Of course Durza had caught me as soon as I was out of the room, but I was free for a few seconds. This had inspired more escape attempts. All ending the same way...me locked back up. I was sitting in my cell waiting for the next time that Durza would come to continue his torture, when I overheard the guards talking about how they had a dragon rider locked up in the underground.

_'A rider? I have to get them out of here! This is no place for a rider.'_ I mentally slur. I stand up, and walk towards the cell door. I look through the bars, and one of the guards notices me.

"What do you need, Deanna?" The guard asks me, looking at me hesitantly. Apparently he had heard of my latest escape attempt, in which I had squeezed through the bars, and knocked several of the guards that were on duty to watch me unconscious. It's amazing how in one's darkest hour, abilities seem to surface. As my mental shielding had been reduced to ribbons over and over again, I began to find myself changing. I soon realized that I could wield magic. I had become a spell caster due to continual mental exposure. I point towards the darkness farther down the corridor.

"I'm not feeling too good." I lie.

"Very well, but no funny business! Got it?" The guard says, yep, he had definitely heard. Not that I would be able to muster a lot of magic in my current condition. I nod, and watch as he opens the door. He grabs a hold of my wrist, and drags me off in the direction that I could only hope that the dragon rider was in. We walk down the corridor, until I see a boy sitting in a cell, drawing on the ground. He looks up, and freezes.

"What's the problem? I thought I told you no funny business." The guard says, only to be knocked backwards as my palm collides with his chin. I run to the cell, and the door flies open before I even get to it. He immediately moves away from me when I enter the cell.

"Who are you? What do you want?" He asks, shrinking farther away.

_'E...Eragon? What is he doing here? Why doesn't he recognize me! I mean, I know my hair is longer, but I still look the same...don't I?'_ I mentally yell.

"What? Has it been so long that you don't even recognize your own twin sister?" I ask, mockingly, and watch as his eyes lighten up.

"Sher? But...how? We all thought you were d-" He begins, only to be cut off. I grab his wrist, and pull him towards the door of the cell.

"DEAD! HA! Death would be a blessing in this place! If you die, you're one of the LUCKY ones!" I shake my head, and flinch when I feel arms wrap around me. I open my eyes, and take a deep breath when I see Eragon.

"What did they DO to you?" He asks as he feels me flinch. I sigh, and he takes a step back to look at me. "Well?"

"You don't want to know." I suddenly remember my original reason for escaping this time. "I came here to help a rider escape..." Something suddenly clicks. "What are YOU doing here?" I ask, and go completely still when a thought strikes itself into my head. "Did Durza," I cringe. "Make this up?" I look up to see Eragon with a sad look on his face.

"Who is Durza?" He asks as I sense his emotions go from sadness, to confusion, to anger when I go completely immobile.

"Okay, obviously HE didn't send you if you don't even know who HE is..." I put a finger on my chin as I try to think of other reason's that he could be here. "But if that's not it...then why ARE you here?" He smiles sadly.

"Because, I AM the rider, Sher." I freeze.

"You can't use that name around here! And what do you mean, you're the dragon rider!" I mutter so fast that it takes him a minute to grasp what I had said. I freeze when I hear familiar laughing. I spin around to see none other than...


	2. Time to Escape this Horrible Place

"Durza!" I growl as I place myself in between my bro and the Shade. He mutters a few words, and I fall to the ground.

"What's wrong, Sher?" Eragon turns a pissed off look at Durza. "What the hell are you doing to my sist-"

"NO!" I yell, only to hear Durza laughing.

"Ah, so THAT'S the connection between the two of you. Boy, if I would have thought it was going to be that simple, I would have just brought her in here when you first arrived!" I grimace, and take a hold of one of the chains of the cot. It breaks instantly as I touch it. I throw it at Durza, and it wraps him to the wall.

"Come on!" I say as I grab a hold of Eragon's wrist. "We have to get out of here!" I take off running down the hall. We get to a door, and I drag him inside.

"What is THIS room?" He asks. I turn to smile at him, and pick up a familiar bow and a crafty looking sword. I hand them to him, and then grab another sword.

"It's where they keep all the weapons that belong to the prisoners that are brought in." I say absentmindedly as I sheath my sword in its sheath hooked to my belt. I smile as I hear the familiar sound of the blade running across the leather of the sheath. I grab his wrist, and drag him to a different part of the room. One that offers a bit more shelter from the door if someone were to decide to come barreling inside. I eye the different shelves across the wall, and begin searching through them.

"How did you get here?" He asks, looking around. I don't remove my eyes from searching as I answer his question.

"I was captured in Carvahall, and woke up here...how long have I been gone?" I ask, absently.

"Almost four months." That got my attention. He watches as my mouth drops.  
_  
'I survived without revealing anything to him for four whole months! Wow! No wonder my shielding was about to fully rip!_' I think as I go back to searching through the many drawers.

"What have they been doing to you here?" I cock my head to the side so he could see the sad smile plastered across my face.

"Tortured me...and not just physically. Durza's a master of mentally raping his victims. He shreds your mental barriers repeatedly until you tell him what he wants to know..." I say with a shutter.

"What was he torturing you for?" He asks, appalled.

"Information." I say distracted.

"Information on what?" He asks, growing angry.

"You. He wanted to know what my relationship with you is." I turn a glare at him. "I probably couldn't have lasted much longer, but of course, now all my pain and sorrow in the last four months might as well have been for naught. Since you revealed it all in about three minutes!"

"Sorry, I didn't realize-" I cut him off with my hand when I hear footsteps. I unsheathe my blade, and prepare for the person to walk into the room. The door flies open, and a guy with familiar black hair and blue eyes walks into the room. I lift my blade, and point it at him.

"Who are you?" I question the stranger. Eragon grabs the blade of my sword just when I was about to rush forward.

"Murtagh! Is that you?" Eragon questions. The man grins, and removes the fake beard he had been wearing.

"Hey, rider." Murtagh says to Eragon. He then turns to look at me. Eragon lets go of my blade, and I sheath it. I go back to my search as I except that the man was not a threat. "Who's your friend?"

"Murtagh, meet Sher-" I cut him off.

"I go by Deanna now...ten-to-one it'll change again pretty soon, but that's it right now." I say as the two of them stare at me. I grin. "I've been switching it every few weeks. Whenever I feel the shade's coming closer to discovering my real one. It's the safest thing to do. He's a smart one. AH-HA!"

"What is it that you're looking for?" Eragon questions as both him and Murtagh watch me coercively open a drawer.

"These." I say as I turn around with another bow and sword.

"Who do those belong to?" Murtagh asks. I look at him, and grin evilly.

"They belong to the elf that we're going to save." I say, and watch as both of their mouths drop open. "What?"

"You mean the elf is...here?" Eragon asks. I look at him like he's lost his mind.

"Err...yes? She's right down the hall from where you were locked up...what in the world is wrong with the two of you?" I ask as they both look at each other.

"We've been searching for her for weeks!" Eragon shouts, and I laugh.

"Well, that's got to make your time soooo worth it, huh?" I ask sarcastically. Eragon looks at me with surprise. "What's the matter, bro?"

"You never used to be this way. What happened?" He asks, and I grin evilly at him.

"I grew up. Durza put me through hell and back. It was enough to make ANYONE mature faster than they would normally..." My eyes narrow as I sense something, and I push both Eragon and Murtagh out of the way as two spears fly by me, cutting me in the shoulder, and the neck. I cringe at the neck wound, and both the boys watch me in horror as I run my hand over the wounds, healing them instantly.

"You know how to use MAGIC!" Eragon shouts in horror.

"Yes, I do. I learned a while back. One of the times that Durza was shredding my mental shields. Never mind that now, we need to get the elf, and get out of here." I stand up on shaky legs. Durza had made a routine of digging arrow heads into my legs whenever I escaped...which was to say...a LOT. After a moment, I stand up straight. "Come on."

The three of us run back to the dungeon area, and run down the corridor. I notice as we run by the cell that Eragon had been in that Durza was no longer there. I mentally curse at my bad luck, but keep running. We get to the elf's cell, and I break the door down with magic. The boys run inside the cell, and grab her. The four of us then run to one of the dinning halls. I hook my hip to a corner of one of the table that was about a dozen or so feet away from the door, while the boys examine the elf, and talk about something called Saphira. I assume it's Eragon's dragon, but I'm not sure. The door's suddenly blown off it's hinges, and I draw my blade as I jump to my feet.

"Hahahaha! I can't believe you've managed to stay undetected for so long! Well done, my dear." My eyes narrow, and I can feel both Eragon and Murtagh's gazes boring into my back.

"Who is he talking to?" Eragon questions, looking around the room. I watch as the look on Durza's face switches to amusement.

"You mean she didn't TELL you?" He asks, they look at me expectantly. "Well, that's surprising. You see, her and I have become l-" He's cut off by the ceiling falling, and a big blue dragon flying...err...falling, I guess is a better term...in. They run to it, and strap the elf into the saddle.

"Get on! Fly as fast as you can, and as far away as you can get!" I say, never taking my eyes off of Durza.

"But, sist-" Eragon begins, I cut him off.

"No, Eragon! You three are more important to have escape than I am! The Varden need a rider! And the elf is an important one to her people as well! Murtagh is also important in his own ways. Now, don't worry, I'd rather it was me they have in a prison than the four of you. If they caught any of you...well, you wouldn't live for very long." I say, still not looking at them.

"Do you know my-" Murtagh starts to say, but I cut him off too.

"Do not fret. I shall not tell a soul what I have learned about you." I say as I slowly walk backwards, towards the great dragon. I walk to her head, and gently lay my hand against her forehead.  
**  
**_***You are a gentle one.***_ I hear her mentally sigh.  
_  
__***Yes, but you must take them away from here, and do not let any of them come searching for me, ever.***_ I feel her curiosity at my words. _***If they were to search for me, they would surely perish in the attempt. I could not live with myself if I were to be the cause of either of their deaths. So please, great one.***_I feel her understanding and sorrow.

_***And you, gentle one?***_ I smile sadly.

_***I am going to bring up the rear**__.*_ I feel her alarm at my words. _***Do not fret, I shall survive.***_  
**  
**_***Very well, gentle one. I shall do what you have commanded.***_ I watch her take a step back, and nod her great head. She then jumps up through the hole that she had made, and flies off towards the east.

"Ah, such a noble sacrifice by you." I turn around to face the greatest challenge of my life, Durza.

I wake up, and realize that I'm not in Gil'ead anymore.

"Where am I?" I mumble as about ten guards drag my numb body down a corridor towards two HUGE doors. I look up when I hear one of them begin to talk.

"You are going to stand in front of our land's great king. Where he shall choose what to do with you." It falls quiet again, and I watch as the guards stop in front of the doors. They hesitantly knock on the door, and I hear a very deep voice behind the door.

"What is the reason behind you disturbing me?" The voice asks, and I involuntarily try to move away from the door.

"We brought the female you ordered us to bring you." The guard that had spoken to me says. I hear a grunt, then the door opens, and two bald ones come out of the room. I start to feel my body again as they walk towards me.

"We shall take it from here." One of them says, and the guards take a step back. The other one that had not talked grabs me, and the feeling in my body completely comes back. As soon as his hands touch my skin, I begin to squirm. He drags me forcibly into the room, where I am pushed to my knees. They pull my wrists behind my back, and some of my hair falls in front of my face. I look through it at the man sitting on the throne in front of me.

"You must be...I'm sorry, dear, but I seem to have missed your name. Perhaps you could repeat it?" His voice is compelling, but I completely ignore it.

"I don't believe I ever said my name, so to answer your question...no, I don't think I WILL repeat it." I say as I spit on his shoes. I hear one of the bald ones gasp at my acts. When I look up, I see the 'king' smiling.

"You're a spiteful one, aren't you?" He asks, but I kind of figure it's a rhetorical question, so I don't bother answering. "Very well, there may be a use for you, but first." I cringe as I feel my mental barriers once again shred. After a few moments, he laughs. "So, that is where you get it from! Very well, I DO believe that you will work." He snaps his fingers, and the two bald ones step forward, releasing me. "I no longer have a need for the two of you to be here, so you are dismissed." The bald ones walk out of the room. "Now, for the test." He walks towards a huge map of Alagasia hanging from the wall, and swiftly cuts down the center of it. I watch him quietly, until I couldn't stand it anymore.

"What is this so called TEST?" I blurt out, and instantly clasp my hand over my mouth when he turns to glare at me.

"I see patience isn't one of your virtues. As was it not one of his. You are a lot like him." He says, and I look at him strangely. He laughs as he removes two eggs from behind the map. He sets them in front of me, and I look at him. "Touch them." He commands, and I feel my hand move towards the eggs without my having to tell it to do so. I touch the green egg first, and then the red. To my surprise, and the 'king's happiness, we hear a chirp like sound coming from the green egg.

"Excellent!" He grins down at me. I get pulled to my feet, and dragged over to one of the walls that has a torch on it. He intertwines a chain with the torch holder, and then wraps the free end around my wrists. He walks away, and sits on his throne. "Now, it's to my understanding that you are a spell caster, correct?" He looks at me, and I hold my head up high.

"Yes! I am!" I say, with pride. He grins at me.

"That's even better!" I hear him mutter enthusiastically. I growl, and try to break the chains. "Don't even bother, they're magic proof." I stop dead as soon as he starts talking.

"Isn't it kind of risky to have chains that can be used against you in your castle? Not to mention your throne room?" I say, with venom leaking from my words. He stands up, and walks up to me. He lifts my chin so that I'm looking at him.

"You sure like to speak your mind, don't you, young one?" He says as he stares into my defiant eyes.


	3. A New Dragon is Born

"That's none of your damn business!" I growl as I rip my head out of the king's hold. He smiles down at me, and I suddenly feel something wap around my body.

"You need to watch your language. It's not becoming of a lady to swear so much. Especially one of your stature." He says as he moves away from me.

"What do you mean, stature?" I ask, watching his every move. He sits on his throne and turns to look at me.

"You'll find out before long, so don't worry" He says as he snaps his fingers. The red egg flies back behind the map and the map instantly looks the way it did before he had cut it. The green one floats over to him, and it lands on a soft looking cushion thing. I watch the egg with worry in my eyes. "Do not worry. The two of you are more valuable alive then dead." I sigh in relief that he isn't planning on hurting the egg...yeah, I'm not worried about myself, I'm worried about the baby that I have never met.  
_  
'This is insane! Why is it that I care more about that little thing then I do myself?'_ I mentally sigh to myself.

"I am so...confused!" I say as I move my head so that I can reach it.

"That's part of being a new rider. The dragon is beginning to connect with your mind." The king says as he watches me. My eyes grow wide as I feel something tapping on my mental barriers. I figure whatever it is has to be friendly since it doesn't take much to break through my wounded barriers. I open them, and am met by a picture of darkness.

"What the hell!" I hiss as I push myself against the wall, eyes darting around the room, trying to see the threat I had felt.

"What?" I look up to see the king grinning. I look away, embarrassed by my strange reactions.

"Nothing. I just felt a little woozy." I lie. He watches me as I close my eyes, and try to reconnect to the mind from before. I grin when I find it.

_***You be rider?***_ A squeaky voice asks in my head.

_***Yes. I am a rider.***_ I answer the voice. I feel its happiness at my words.

_***What is your name?***_ The small voice asks.

_***Um...what's yours?***_ I ask back, not wanting to give too much information to the strange voice in my head.  
_**  
*I do not have a name...***_ The voice says sadly. My mouth practically drops open when understanding dawns on me.  
_**  
*You're my dragon, aren't you**_?* I ask the voice, both hopeful and worried.

_***Yes.***_ The voice answers back. I'm stunned for a moment.

_***When are you going to hatch?***_ I question my new partner. I feel its excitement.

_***Soon.***_ It says, and I smile. My eyes narrow when I see the two bald ones walk into the room.

"What do you have to report?" The king asks. The two bald ones bow, and look at the egg sitting next to the king.

"Um...we followed the boy for a few days, but he lost us." I see the king narrow his eyes, and the bald one takes a step back.

"Not to worry, my king. He was traveling to the Varden. We will be able to watch him once he reaches it." The other bald one says. "The rider will be within our clutches." I laugh, and all three of them turn to look at me.

"You honestly think you'll be able to get your greedy hands on m...on Eragon?" I shake my head. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"Why you littl-" One of the bald ones says, taking a step towards me. I narrow my eyes, and pull on the chains holding my wrist.

"Enough!" The king booms. I jump, and look towards him. "No one is to harm her. She is far too precious to lose." The king says, staring daggers at the bald ones.

"Please forgive us, our king." The bald ones say, bowing. I jerk on the chains, and the king looks at me. I shrink back, and lower my eyes.

"Leave" The king commands, talking to the bald ones while looking at me. They instantly stand up, and leave the room.

A week has gone by, and nothing much has happened. I've been tied to the wall for most of that time. I sigh, and open my eyes when I hear something cracking. When I look, I see the dragon egg wiggling back and forth. Suddenly, my hands are free. When I look up, I see the king.

"Go to the egg. As soon as it hatches, you will be moved to a different room." He commands. I nod my head, and cautiously walk towards the egg. When I get up next to it, I fall down on my knees. I watch as the egg falls apart, and smile when a green dragon tumbles out of the emerald egg shell.

"Hello, little one." I say, smiling. I put my hand on its head, and gasp in shock when a sharp pain shoots up my arm.

After a couple minutes/hours of sitting on my hands and knees, I feel something pulling on a strand of my hair. I look, and smile when I see the dragon.

_***Are you all right?* **_It asks in wonder. I run my hand over the top of its head after I had sat back up.

_***I'm fine. Just surprised by the shock**_.* I mentally sigh with a shrug. I look down into the baby's eyes, and see the life in them. _***So, what's your name?***_ At that exact moment, I'm ripped away from my dragon, and dragged towards the king. I'm pushed to my knees, and gasp when I hear familiar laughter.

"D...Durza!" I squeak.

"Been a while, hasn't it?" Durza says, walking out of the shadows.

"Not long enough." I say, eyes narrowed.

"Enough!" The king commands. Both of us turn to look at the king's annoyed look.

"Forgive us." Both Durza and I say in unison.

"Very well. Since the egg has hatched, it is time that you get your own place here." The king says, smiling. I stare at him in confusion.

"Y...you're going to let me out of here?" I ask. His grin grows.

"Yes. I have a room ready for you." He says, walking towards me. "And your dragon, of course." He adds when he sees the suspicion in my eyes. I turn, and look around.

"Where is he?" I ask, worried.

"I had him brought to the two of yours room. He's waiting for you to get there." I smile.

"Okay, I'm ready." I say, turning to walk out of the room.

"Oh, by the way." The king says. I stop, and look back at him.

"Yes?" I ask.

"You are to remain in your room until someone comes and gets you." The king commands. I bow, and walk out of the room.

"Mi'lord?" Durza asks.

"Yes?" The king says, looking at him.

"Do you think it wise to let her go off by herself?" Durza asks, looking in the direction that I had disappeared in.

"She won't try anything." The king says with a smirk. He looks at the map of Alagasia, then turns back to Durza. "I want you to prepare for our attack against the Varden. We shall attack just as soon as she is ready for battle." The king says, smiling evilly. He motions Durza out of the room. Durza leaves, and the king laughs.

Meanwhile, I get to the room that my baby dragon is in. I walk inside, and smile when I see him.

"You're safe!" I say, relief evident in my voice. He runs to me, and I hug him against my chest, tightly.  
_**  
*I was worried that they hurt you.***_ He mentally sighs. I look down at him.

"I don't think you have to worry about that." I say, absently.

_***Why?***_ He questions.

"Because...there's only three dragons left, and one of them hasn't hatched yet." I say, sadly. He looks at me, and I see the sadness and curiosity in his eyes.  
_**  
*How did that happen?***_ He asks. I sigh, and look up at the ceiling, wishing it were the night sky.

"There was a great war, and all of the dragon's except for three eggs were...killed.." I choke out the last word.

_***So...who is the rider of the other dragon?***_ He asks. Then another question pops into his mind. _***Is it a female?***_ He asks, excited.

"The rider is my twin brother...and yes, she is a female." I answer, cautiously. "Why did you want to know that?" I ask.  
_**  
*Just wondering.***_ He says, mentally shrugging.

"All right." I say, giving up on the subject. I look around the room, and smile when I see a window. I walk up to it, and stare out into the night.

_***Beautiful, isn't it?***_ He asks. I look down at him, and smile.

"Yes, it is. I love watching the sky." I look back out the window, and he climbs up to sit on the ledge with his tail swinging back and forth.

_***Hey, rider?***_ He begins. I look at him.

"It's Kayashi." I whisper.

_***Okay, Kayashi?***_ He says, and I look back out the window.

"Yes?" I ask._****_

*What's it like to be...out there?* He asks, looking out the window. I look at him in shock, and he looks away from the window and directly at me.

"Um...well...it can be hard, but in a lot of ways...nothing can beat it." I say with a hint of sadness in my voice.  
_**  
*Do you miss it?***_ He asks.

"Yes. I do." I say, turning away from the window.  
_**  
*Why did you choose to leave?***_ He asks, watching me.

"I didn't choose to. I was captured, and forced to come here." I say sadly. He looks up at me with wide eyes.  
_**  
*They...forced you to?***_ He asks, not understanding. I sigh.

"Yes. They forced me, but I'm glad they did." I whisper.  
_**  
*Why?***_ He asks.

"Because, if they hadn't, I wouldn't have met you." I say, smiling at him. I climb into the bed, and he jumps down off the window. He runs to me, and crawls into my arms.

_***Don't worry, rider. We're going to get out of h-***_ I look down at him when he suddenly stops talking/thinking, only to see him sound asleep. I pull him closer to me.


	4. My Name's Adrik

I wake up the next morning to some kind of commotion. When I open my eyes, I hiss at the sunlight, but quickly shoot my eyes open when I hear something squeal. I feel pain shoot through my chest, and I instantly know what's going on.

"No!" I yell as I quickly stand up, and spin towards whoever it is that is causing my dragon distress.  
_**  
*Help!***_ The baby mentally yells. I run blindly towards whoever it is, and run into them. I feel all the air escape my lungs. They catch me, and hold me close to their chest.

"Not a very smart move." The stranger whispers into my ear.

"Who are you? What are you doing in here?" I question. Then an even more important question pops into my head. "What were you doing to my dragon?" I question, venom coating my words.

"I wasn't doing anything to it. Merely trying to get it out of my way." He says...at least I assume it's a he by the depth of the voice.

"Why were you trying to get past him?" I ask, still blinded from the light.

"To get to you." He answers. I instantly stiffen. "I'm supposed to train you." He explains once he felt my response to his words.

"Train me for what?" I ask.

"War." He says simply. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion.

"Why...may I ask...are you training me for war?" I ask.  
_**  
*Be careful of him. He's not trustworthy.***_ I hear my dragon's mental caution.  
_**  
*Very well.***_ I respond.

"Well, we may be sent to battle before long...so the king wanted me to have you ready...just in case." He says.

"Are you planning on telling me what your name is?" I ask, frustrated that he had managed to sidetrack me from the question.

"My name is Claydon." He says simply.

"Thank you." I say, feeling myself smile.

"O...kay...anyways, shall we be going?" Claydon asks me. When I turn around, I feel him put an arm on my shoulder. "Why are your eyes closed?" He asks.

"Um...I kind of got blinded by the sun when I first opened my eyes..." I say, embarrassed.

"How come?" He asks.

"I haven't been in a room with sunlight for half a year..." I say, scratching the back of my head.

"Do you want to open them?" Claydon asks. I hesitantly open my eyes, and smile when I see a extremely handsome guy standing in front of me. I see him smirk.

"What?" I ask, confused.

"No, it's nothing." He says, turning to the door. He looks back at me, and when he sees that I haven't moved, he sighs. "You coming?" He asks while motioning towards the door.

"But...I was told not to leave this room unti-"

"Until someone comes to get you? Who do you think I am?" He asks, motioning towards himself.

"Oh...sorry." I say, taking a step towards him. We walk down a corridor, and come to a huge door.

"W...where does this door lead to?" I ask, both excited and scared.

"Out through these doors is the combat arena." He says while pulling the door handle. It opens, and we walk outside.

"I'm out...side?" I ask, looking around the deserted lawn type thing.

"Yes." He says.

After standing there for almost half an hour, Claydon grabs a hold of my upper arm, and pulls me out, into the grass. I look around, and smile when I see my dragon running around in the grass.

"He looks happy." I mutter, not really talking to anyone.

"Yeah." Claydon says. I look up, and see him watching my dragon as well. "So, what's his name?" He asks.

"I'm...not sure." I mumble, guilty. "I haven't asked."

"Maybe you should." Claydon says, never taking his eyes off the playful dragon.  
_**  
*Hey.***_ I mentally whisper.  
_**  
*Yes, rider?***_ I hear his voice ask in my mind.  
_**  
*What's your name?***_ I ask.  
_**  
*Adrik.***_ He says with pride.  
_**  
*Very nice name. It suits you.***_ I say with affection in my voice. He stops playing, and looks into my eyes.  
_**  
*I thank you, rider.***_ Adrik says, and goes back to chasing the grasshoppers that were trying to escape from the 'big monster' that's chasing after them.

"So?" Claydon says. I turn to him with a grin.

"His name is Adrik." I say proudly. He thinks for a moment.

"That's a strong name. So, it's a male?" Claydon asks, watching Adrik again.

"Yes, he is. Why do you ask?" I ask, worried. He looks at me, and smiles.

"There's nothing wrong with that. It's just that there's only one female dragon hatched...so..." Claydon says, trailing off. I look at him in confusion.

"How do you know about that?" I ask, suspicious.

"I think everyone here does. The twins walk around complaining about it constantly." He explains. I think about it for a minute.

"Who are the twins?" I ask. He looks at me, and sighs.

"Might as well tell you." He says, turning away from me.

"Tell me what?" I ask. He looks directly into my eyes.

"They are double agents. They spend most of their time in the Varden's hideout. The only time they come back is to report what's going on." Claydon says, walking past me.

"What!" I whisper, breathless.

"It works out pretty well." Claydon says with a smirk. My eyes narrow.

"They betray the ones they've sworn to protect!" I hiss, looking towards the east.

"No. They swore to serve the king before they went to that bunch of traitors." He says with visible hatred. I look at him, and sigh.

"Claydon?" I say, barely more than a whisper.

"Yeah?" He asks.

"What made you hate the Varden so much? What happened?" I ask, gently.

"They killed my mother." Claydon says, eyes burning with anger.

"I...I'm sorry." I whisper, looking into his eyes.

"For what? You didn't kill her." Claydon says, picking up what looks like two sticks.

"That may be, but I still brought it up." I say as I catch the stick that he throws at me. "What's this for?" I ask, gesturing towards the stick.

"Training." Claydon says.

"With a...stick?" I ask.

"Practice. We'll be using swords tomorrow." Claydon says, watching me inspect the stick.

"We could use swords today." I say, looking at him. He shakes his head.

"Don't think so. You're a novice." He says, looking away from me. I see my chance, and dart towards him, knocking him to the ground.

"A novice, am I?" I ask with a smirk as he looks up at me, shocked. "I know a lot more than most do." I say, still holding him down. He smirks, and with one quick movement, I'm on my back with him on top of me.

"Very well. We can speed training up a bit." He gets off me, and walks towards a tree. I gasp when I see him turn around holding my blade.

"My sword!" I say with a smile. He throws it, and I grab a hold of the hilt.

"All right." Claydon takes a defensive stance. "Lets see just how good you are!" I close my eyes, and take a deep breath.

"You asked for it!" I say as I open my eyes with a smile on my face.

"We shall see." Claydon says as I take a step towards him. He smirks as I launch myself at him. Before I know what's going on, I'm on the ground with his blade pointed at my neck.

"Damn!" I gasp. He smiles down at me.

"You caught me by surprise earlier. Don't think that's going to happen again." He removes his blade, and grabs my arm.

"How the hell did you do that?" I ask, flabbergasted as he pulls me to my feet.

"Years of practice." He says with a shrug.

"Can you teach me?" I ask, embarrassed. He looks at me, and smiles.

"Sure, this is training after all." I smile, and examine my blade.

"Well." I sigh. "Apparently it hasn't had very much attention since I was captured." I mutter, running my finger down the blade that has turned dull and began to rust in the time since I have left Carvahall.

"It'll be fine once it gets cleaned up a bit." Claydon says, examining the blade.

"Yeah," I sigh, and take up a defensive stance. "but in the meantime..." I say as my sad expression turns to one of excitement. He also takes up a defensive stance.

"You completely sure about this?" He asks me. I smile, and nod my head. "Alright." He runs at me, and I barely dodge before the blade hits my shoulder.  
_**  
*Holy shit!***_ I mentally shout in surprise.  
_**  
*I told you not to underestimate him! Now, look what almost happened!***_ I hear Adrik's mental voice growl at me.

_***I'm fine! He just took me by surprise!***_ I respond. When I refocus my attention to my fight with Claydon, I yelp as I feel his blade make contact with my side.

"Pay attention, Kayashi!" He says as he jumps back to avoid my blade. I glare at him.

"I'm trying!" I yell, narrowly avoiding his blade.

"No, you're not! If you were, I wouldn't have hit you so easily!" He says in a commanding voice. I look at him with defiance in my eyes. "Look at me like that all you want, but you still need to concentrate more." Claydon says, sidestepping my blade.

_***He's kind of commanding, isn't he**_?* I hear Adrik ask in my head.

_***Yes.***_ I respond with a sigh.

_***Then why don't yo**_-* Adrik's voice suddenly disappears from my mind, along with his presence.

"What the hell!" I screech, looking around. "Why can't I hear my dragon anymore?" I ask no one in particular. I hear laughing, and spin around. "YOU!"


	5. Prepare for Battle

"You did this!" I say, pointing to Claydon. He smirks.

"Yes, I did. I told you to concentrate. Now you have no choice!" He says, walking towards me.

"H...how did you block my dragon from my head?" I ask, completely confused.

"How am I blocking him? Did you really think the king would have you be trained by just a regular human?" Claydon asks, stopping.

"W...who are you?" I ask, slightly scared.

"I'm Claydon, Claydon Galbatorixsson." He says with a smirk.

"H...how! The king doesn't have a son!" I snarl.

"He only has one...me." Claydon says, looking into my eyes. I take a step back, shaking my head.

"You bastard! You lead me to believe that you were a normal guy!" I say, staring at him.

"I am normal! My father's no worse than yours!" I stop from turning away from him, and stare at him.

"What do you mean, my father? You know who it is!" I say, accusingly. He merely watches me.

"Yes, I do. No, I won't tell you." Claydon says.

"B...but why?" I say, almost desperately.

"Because you're not ready to know. When the time comes, I will tell you." He says in a no questioning voice. I clamp my jaw together.

"What's so special about my father?" I ask, confused and angry.

"Don't worry about it now." He says, throwing my blade at me. I catch it reflexively, and continue to stare at him.

"Why shouldn't I worry about something both you and your father have mentioned to me?" I ask, watching him. He rests his hands behind his head.

"Well...my father doesn't always think before he talks." Claydon says, watching me. I blow my bangs out of my face.

"Fine." I say, rolling my eyes. "You win." I shrug, and watch as Claydon smiles.

"Then let us continue with our training!" He says. I grin.

"Whatever you say!" I say as I once again take a defensive stance.

We train until the sun starts going down, and we're both breathing hard.

"That...was...fun!" I say with a huge grin on my face. Claydon smiles as well.

"I couldn't agree...more! It's been a while since I...had someone worth fighting!" He says as he digs his blade into the dirt. I grin in pride.

"Good to know!" I say as I drop to the ground. He laughs as he walks up to me.

"Don't get too cocky!" He says, looking down at me. "Time to get up. We need to get inside before it gets too dark." Claydon says as he grabs my hand. He pulls me to my feet.

"Why's...that?" I ask, confused. He looks at the sky for a moment.

"Never know what could come." He says as he looks back at me. He walks towards the door. I shrug before following him. Just before I get to the door, I remember.

"Where's Adrik?" I ask, looking around. I jump when something lands on my shoulder.  
_**  
*Right here!***_ I hear Adrik's voice proudly announce in my head. I smile as I look at him.

"Where have you been this whole time?" I ask. Adrik looks over towards the wall.  
_**  
*I was looking at something strange over there.***_ He says, still watching the wall. I look over there, and gasp when I see a symbol on the wall. I jump when I feel someone touch my shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Claydon asks, sounding confused. I look at him.

"What is that?" I ask, pointing towards the wall. He looks at it, and shrugs.

"It's a mark of one of my father's old buddies...why?" He looks at me. "Does it have some meaning to you?" He asks. I look between the mark and Claydon.

"I'm not...sure..." I say, trying to scrap anything I can remember from my memory.

"Well, you think about it...but in the meantime, I think we should really head inside." Claydon says, gesturing towards the doors that are a mere two feet away. I shrug, and walk ahead on him through the door.

"What should I do now?" I ask Claydon as we walk down the corridor. He sighs.

"You have to go back to your room. My father's being a little paranoid of you being out on your own." Claydon says, looking at me with apologetic eyes. I smile.

"Don't worry about it. I was going to say that I'm kind of tired after everything today anyway." I say, waving at him as I walk towards my room. I walk inside, and sigh as I flop onto my bed.  
_**  
*Are you all right?***_ Adrik asks. I look at him with sad eyes.

"I've been trying to figure out what that was on the wall..." I say, but go quiet when I hear someone waking by.  
_**  
*Have you come up with anything?***_ Adrik asks. I shake my head. *So, what are you planning on doing next?*

"I have absolutely no idea." I say as I sigh. Adrik jumps onto the bed next to me.  
_**  
*Do what your instincts are telling you to do!***_ He commands. I look at him, shocked.

"You sure?" I ask, skeptical. He nods his head. I stand up, grinning. "You're right! I should do what my instincts tell me...only, I have to figure out what that is first..." I say as I plop onto the bed, crossing my legs. Adrik stares at me, confused.  
_**  
*You have to think for you to understand what your instincts are telling you?***_ He asks. I look down at him.

"Humans aren't like dragons. We can't just point blank understand stuff." I explain. He looks at me._****_

*Really?* He asks. I nod.

"Unfortunately." I say, shrugging. "If we could, it would make my life so much easier." I say. He smiles.  
_**  
*I bet it would.***_ He says, crawling up next to me. I smile, and slowly drift off to sleep.

Morning comes, and I slowly sit up. I rub my eyes, and stretch.

"Looks like you had a good night's sleep." I hear a voice say from the door. I quickly look up, and smile when I see Claydon.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" I ask, sitting on the corner of the bed.

"I have some training for you to go through." Claydon says, grinning.

A week and a half go by. Claydon had taught me a LOT. We had practiced with the sword a lot as well. Plus, somewhere in that time, I found the time to spend with Adrik. The king had decided to give me more freedom as well.

"So, what's going on?" I ask as I watch another group of the kings guard walk by us.

"War. They're preparing to invade the Varden." Claydon says with a smile.

"Am I being sent?" I ask, looking at him.

"I'm not sure...I don't think my father's decided yet." Claydon says.

"Okay...are you going?" I ask, taking a different track. Claydon looks at me.

"Yes, I'm going." Claydon says. I sigh.

"Hey, can I catch up with you later?" I ask as I drop my hands from behind my head, where they had been the whole time.

"Where are you going?" Claydon questions, looking at me with suspicious eyes.

"Oh...nowhere..." I say, grinning innocently.

"I don't believe you, but sure." Claydon says as he makes a gesture with his hand. I smile, and kiss his cheek.

"See yuh!" I say as I run off. He stares after me, bewildered.

"She's gotten strange." Claydon says before he shrugs and walks off.

Meanwhile, I walk through the corridors until I get to the kings thrown room. I push the doors open with more force than necessary, and storm towards the king.

"What are you doing here?" He demands, glaring at me.

"I want to go and fight!" I say, eyes narrowed.

"No!" Galbatorix says, looking away from me.

"Why not?" I ask. He sighs, and looks at me with impatience.

"You aren't skilled enough. You wouldn't be good to anyone but the Varden in your current state." Galbatorix explains. I take a step back when his eyes get a strange glint in them.

"I can fight!" I shout, glaring at him. He looks at me, calculating.

"Very well. You may go." Galbatorix says with a grin on his face. I nod, and walk towards the door. "However..." I turn back to look at him. "Adrik must stay here. He is not old enough to fight." Galbatorix says in a voice that says there's no questioning it. I nod again, and walk out the door.

A few days pass. I'm standing in my room, putting on my battle clothes. I sneer when I have problems with the neck of my armor.

"You ready for your first battle?" Claydon says, coming up behind me. I glance over my shoulder.

"As soon as I get this damn thing strapped on!" I say, sighing. He smiles, and pulls the corners together. He hooks them, and takes a step back.  
_**  
*I still do not understand why I must not go.***_ Adrik complains from outside my window.  
_**  
*You're not ready for battle. You're not strong enough to carry me on your back yet.***_ I say, glancing towards my window.

"He's still sulking, huh?" Claydon asks, noticing where my attention is. I sigh.

"Yes." I say. He smiles, and pulls something out of his pocket. He grabs my hands, and places the item in them before removing his hands.


	6. Reuniting

"What is this?" I ask, looking at the gloves in my hands.

"They're for you. You need to wear them from now on." Claydon says in a commanding voice. I nod, and put them on. "Okay." Claydon walks towards the door. I jump out my window, and walk towards Adrik. I put a hand on his forehead.  
_**  
*I won't be long.***_ I say. He looks at me with sad eyes.  
_**  
*What if they hurt you?***_ Adrik asks as Claydon turn the corner.  
_**  
*They won't! I'm stronger than that!***_ I say with as smile as I take a step back.

"It's time to leave, Kayashi." Claydon says, laying a hand on my shoulder. I look at him, and nod.

"I'll come back as soon as I can." I tell Adrik as I follow Claydon towards the gates. As soon as we get a good distance from Adrik, I look at Claydon. "Are we going to be walking?" I ask.

"No, we're going to ride." Claydon says. I look at him, confused. "Horses." He says when he sees my confused face.

"Ah!" I say with wide eyes. Claydon smirks.

"Stay here while I go get them. I won't be long." Claydon says, walking towards the barn. I lean against a tree until something catches my eye. I look, and see the symbol on the wall. I walk up to it.

"What is up with this symbol!" I say, glaring at the wall. I run my hand over the symbol, and feel a jolt of go through my hand. I instantly remove it, and glare at the wall once again. "You didn't have to do that!" I yell at it.

"Talking to walls now, huh?" Claydon says behind me. I jump at the sudden noise, and sigh.

"Not walls, this symbol." I say, gesturing towards the wall. Claydon grins.

"What would you say if I said I don't see anything?" Claydon asks. I look at him.

"What do you mean?" I ask. He shrugs.

"I don't see anything...on the other hand..." He walks a few feet away. "I can see a symbol right here." He says as he lays a hand on the wall.I look at it for a moment.

"I don't see anything." I say, looking back at the symbol in front of me. Claydon walks back up to me. "Why is that?" I ask.

"We only see the symbols of those that are the closest to us." Claydon says. I look at him, confused.

"But I don't know any of your father's followers...besides you. And I don't think that's your symbol." I say, gesturing towards the wall. He grins.

"You assume correct." He walks to the wall, and moves his hand on one of the rocks. I jump back. "This one in particular belongs to...Morzan." Claydon says, examining some kind of language on the rock face. My eyes widen.

"What the hell do I have in common with him?" I ask, glaring at the rock. He smiles.

"A lot more than you think." He says. Ilook at him, confused.

"What do you mean?" I ask. He merely shakes his head.

"You think about it. I'm sure you can figure it out." Claydon says. He glances towards the gates. "We should get going." I look to see all the men gone.

"You're right!" I shout as Claydon hands me the reins of a pitch black stallion. I jump into his saddle, and we ride off.

We had talked all the wall to the Boer Mountains. We stop our horses. I look over at Claydon, only to see him grinning.

"Excited?" I ask. His grin grows.

"Just a little." He says, looking at me. I smile back.

"Me too!" Isay, glancing at the mountain face. Claydon jumps off his horse, and ties it to a stone. He looks up at me, and smile.

"Don't forget to keep those gloves on."Claydon says. I hear flapping. When I look up, I see a huge black dragon. It lands, and looks me in the eyes.  
_**  
*It's very nice to finally meet you, young dragon rider.***_ The dragon says, blowing air out of it's nose. I just sit there, not flinching a bit.

"It's extremely nice to meet you as well, great on." I say, jumping off my horse so I can bow.

_***Hm...***_ It looks at Claydon. _***She pleases me greatly.***_ The dragon says, smiling. I stand back up straight, looking at Claydon.

"How come you never told me about your dragon or that you're a rider?" I ask. Both Claydon and the dragon look at me.

"We were waiting until Adrik was old enough to train with her." Claydon explains. I nod.

"Makes sense." I say, and watch as Claydon jumps onto the dragon's back. He looks down at me.

"We'll continue this conversation later." Claydon says, looking at me with examining eyes. I nod. The dragon snakes her head over to me, and looks me in the eyes.  
_**  
*Be safe, young one.***_ She says as she taps my forehead with her nose before retreating back to her original position. I lay a hand on my forehead, and feel a strange mark against my hairline. I bow low.

"I thank you." I say. I straighten back up, and watch as they launch into the air, and fly away. I grin as I jump back onto my horse, and ride off towards battle.

I enter the Boer Mountains, and look around to see destruction and mayhem everywhere. I draw my sword as I jump off my horse, slicing one of the Varden's men as I do. I grin as I watch four more men run at me.

The battle continues, and the Varden are winning. I wipe the sweat from my forehead seconds before I see another man running towards me. I block his blow, only to notice something.

"M...Murtagh?" I ask, knocking the point of his sword to the ground.

"That's my name. What does it have to do with you?" Murtagh asks, looking at me in confusion. I smile.

"It's me, Murtagh! Sheryl!" I say, removing my sword. He looks at me for a moment.

"Sheryl? Bu...why are you fighting with the king?" Murtagh asks, sounding confused. I sigh.

"I don't have a choice, Murtagh." I say, looking at the sky when I hear a dragon's roar. I watch as a dragon launches itself out of the caves.

"About time they decided to join the battle!" Murtagh says with a grin. My eyes widen.

"Eragon!" I yell, worry lacing my voice. Murtagh looks at me in confusion.

"What's wrong?" Murtagh asks. I look at him.

"He's going to get killed!" I say, almost hysterical. Murtagh merely smiles.

"Your brother's been training hard since the last time you saw him, Sher. He can take care of himself." Murtagh says. I shake my head.

"No! You don't understand, Murt-" I'm cut off by the sound of a hurt dragon's cry. I look up to see Durza's pet. "I'm going to regret this later..." I say, and begin to chant something. Murtagh watches with bothworry and interest. A giant fireball appears out of the sky, and hits Durza square on. I sigh as I open my eyes.

"That was...amazing!" Murtagh says. I look at him with a sad smile.

"Yeah well..." I hear growling in my head, and look up a second before I see Claydon and his dragon sweep down out of the sky. I grin evilly as I look at Murtagh, but instead of attacking him, I run at some guy with black hair and skin. I manage to cut his arm before he realizes I'm there.

"Sheryl!" I hear Murtagh shout. I ignore it, and watch the guy grab him arm. I bring my blade up to my mouth, and lick the blood off it., grinning.  
_**  
*Good girl.***_ I hear a familiar voice say in my mind.  
_**  
*A...Adrik?***_ I ask. I hear laughter.  
_**  
*The king sent me.***_ Adrik says. I look towards the sky, only to see him flying over the lowest part of the mountain, towards me. I lift my arm, and he grabs it in his claws before rising back into the skies.  
_**  
*So you finished growing?***_ I ask as I climb into the...saddle? *Where did this saddle come from?* I ask. Adrik looks back at me.  
_**  
*The king said it was your inheritance.***_ Adrik says, sounding just as confused as I feel.I look at him.

After a few moments, I shrug, and focus on the battle once again. Adrik looks down, then towards Claydon and his dragon before looking at Eragon and Saphira.  
_**  
*Is that the dragon you were talking about?***_ Adrik asks, motioning towards Saphira. I sigh.  
_**  
*Yeah.***_ I say with a sigh. Adrik looks back at me with excited eyes.  
_**  
*What are we going to do?***_ Adrik asks. I take a deep breath before letting it out.

"We're going to fight!" I say, the evil grin returning to my face. He grins as he goes into a dive. At the last minute, he pulls up, and swings his tail. About 100 of the Varden's men are killed instantly. I begin to chant again. About 60 fireballs appear in the sky. With a quick flick of my wrist, they fly at the ground. Another 1,000 or so men are killed.

This continues for about half an hour before I hear a cry of agony. Both Adrik and I look, only to see Saphira falling towards the ground. Adrik flies towards the spot she landed.

"Eragon!" I yell at the same time he begins to dive. I reach an arm out. We get to the ground, and I see Eragon laying on the ground about 10 feet away from Saphira. I go towards him, and flip him onto his back. He grunts in pain before opening his eyes a small bit.

"Shery...l?" He asks, squinting his eyes.I smile sadly.

"It's me, big brother." I say, putting a hand on his face. He sighs.

"I thought the king had you." Eragon says. A tear falls down my face.

"He does, Eragon." I whisper, and watch his eyes widen. He backs up.

"Watch out, Sher!" He says, standing up, only to fall back to the ground.


	7. Protecting Family

"Eragon?" I ask, putting a hand out. I feel breath on my neck. When I look up, I see Adrik standing above me. I sigh.  
_**  
*What's wrong with him?***_ Adrik asks. I look at Eragon.  
_**  
*He thinks you're Claydon's dragon.***_ I explain. I stand up, and walk to Adrik, putting a hand on his side.

"Brother, this is Adrik...my dragon. Adrik, this is my twin brother, Eragon." I say motioning between them.

"Your...dragon?" Eragon asks, confused.

"Yes, brother. I'm also a rider. That is why I could not leave the king." I explain. Eragon's expression changes from caution to understanding.  
_**  
*Are you sure this is a good idea?***_ Adrik asks, looking at me with worry.  
_**  
*My brother needs family.***_ I say in a tone that makes no argument. Adrik taps the side of my face with his nose.  
_**  
*Then I shall help in any way possible.***_ He says in a serious voice. I smile.

"Thank you." I say in a happy voice. We both jump when we hear a dragon hiss. I look up, only to see Claydon and his dragon flying towards us. I look wide eyed from Claydon to Eragon. "NO!" I yell, jumping on Adrik's back. He roars as he takes flight. We fly at Claydon, cutting off their advance.

"What the hell are you doing, Kayashi? Or should I call you Sheryl?" Claydon questions. My eyes widen as soon as my name comes out of Claydon's mouth.

"H...how do you know my name?" I ask. He grins.

"Thank your brother." Claydon says with a grin. I turn to my brother. "He asked us what we did with his little sister, Sheryl." Claydon explains. I sigh.

"I'm not going back, Claydon." I say, looking at him with anger. He grins.

"You don't belong here. You belong back with my father, Sher." He says. I look at him with confusion.

"Are you planning on telling me why?" I ask. Claydon grins hugely.

"I think I'll keep that information until you come home." Claydons says.I glare at him with narrowed eyes as I draw my sword off my back. He sighs. "Must a conversation always come to a fightbetween the two of us?" He says, also drawing his blade off his dragon's saddle.

"Seems like it...although I was under the impression that you liked fighting me." I says, getting into the best defensive position I can on Adrik's back. Adrik launches himself at Claydon's dragon with exposed teeth.

The battle ends with Claydon standing on Adrik's back with his sword against my neck. Adrik hisses in protest.

"I'll see you soon, my dear." Claydon says with a smile as he removes his blade, and jumps to his dragon's back. They fly away. I take a deep breath, and wipe the sweat off my face as Adrik flies to the ground.

Once we land, we see Eragon's slumped form over his dragon, and a group of people beginning to gather. I see Murtagh run towards the front. As soon as he sees me, he changes his course to run to me. Adrik growls, stopping Murtagh in his tracks. I put a hand against Adrik's head.

"It's...all right. He's a...friend." I say in between burst of pain. Adrik looks back at me with worry filled eyes. I nod. He looks at Murtagh, only to see him bow.

"I will not hurt her. My only intention is to bandage her wounds. Otherwise, she may bleed to death." Murtagh says, dropping his sword. I sigh, closing my eyes. I fall towards the ground, only to have someone catch me.

I slowly open my eyes to see the man I had sliced arm open. I grin.

"Who are you, and what are you doing with a dragon?" The man asks. I sneer.

"It's common to offer your own name before asking a complete stranger for theirs." I say, glaring at him. He smirks.

"Very well. I am Ajihead, leader of the Varden." He explains. I sigh.

"My name is Kay-" I'm stopped midword by someone.

"Her name is Sheryl." I hear someone say. I look to see Murtagh standing next to the door, supporting Eragon. I smile.

"So you did survive." I plop back onto the bed with a sigh. "That's good." I say, closing my eyes. I feel someone sit down on the bed.  
_**  
*You mustn't tell them that we're related.***_ I mentally tell Eragon, hoping it works the same way it does with Claydon and I.  
_**  
*Sheryl? How are you in my head?***_ Eragon asks, surprised. I open my eyes, and look at him.  
_**  
*Riders can talk to each other mentally...AH! I suppose since you've never been around another rider, you wouldn't know this.***_ I say with a bit of a smile in my voice. He glares at me.

_***Not funny!***_ He says in a pouting voice.  
_**  
*Fine, I'm sorry.***_ I say, inclining my head. He smiles.

"All right, we're missing part of this conversation." Murtagh says as he takes a step toward us. I sigh.

"Sorry. Forgot there are others in the room." I say, running my eyes over everyone in the room. When I look at Ajihead, I see his eyes widen.

"Rider. I think you should get away from her." Ajihead commands, looking at Eragon with worried eyes. I smile.

"What? Do you think I'd hurt the...the only other rider besides the king and I?" I ask.

"You never know. After all, no one knows anything about you besides your name." Ajihead says, looking at me with calculation eyes.

"Yeah well." I shrug. "I'm not too keen about people knowing stuff about me." I say, looking around the room. Ajihead sighs.

"I can understand your discression, but no one here is going to trust you until you do tell." Ajihead says, looking at me like this should matter to me.

"No problem. I won't be walking around that much anyway." I say with a smirk. I watch as the look on his face turns to one of surrender. My eyes narrow. "You know, you might not want to show me that look...ever!" I say, looking away from him. His eyes widen.

"Why?" He asks, looking at me with a questioning look.

"Well..." I sigh. "I was trained by...by one of the king's best. So I react differently to things due to that." I say, getting control of myself again. I sigh, and stand up.

"Where are you going?" Ajihead asks. I look at him.

"I'm going to see Adrik." I say, and grin when I see a couple of the men take a step forward. I stand there, defensive, as Ajihead walks in between us.

"Stand down! We have no right to keep her from her dragon!" Ajihead sighs. I grin, and walk out the door.

As soon as I take a step out the door, I hear wings beating above me. I look up to see Adrik flying above me.  
_**  
*What do they want with you that they keep you for so long?***_ Adrik asks as soon as he lands in front of me. He begins to inspect me for injuries.

"I'm fine. They just wanted to find out some stuff." I explain, laying a hand on his head. He looks at me.

*Very well.* He says as he turns so I'm standing at his shoulder. I grin as I climb onto his back.

"What do you think you're doing?" I hear someone question as soon as I sit down. I look, only to see Murtagh.

"Going for a ride!" I say, rolling my eyes. He sighs.

"You're going to get in trouble." Murtagh says, also rolling his eyes. I grin.

"I don't owe my loyalty to the Varden. I am merely staying here until I find a way to get back at the king for what he has done to me." I say, glaring in the direction of the Empire. Murtagh grins.

"No wonder everyone doubts you've changed! You have a really scary glare." Murtagh says. I looking at him, grinning.

"You don't seem at all afraid." I say, looking him up and down. He shrugs.

"I've seen worse." He glares at me. "Of course, you already know that, don't you?" I shrug.

"Yeah, I do...wait!" I look at him with wide eyes. He looks at me questioningly.

"What is it?" He asks. I look at Adrik, who merely nods. I look back at Murtagh.

"When you were at the king's palace, did you ever see a wall with a strange glowing symbol?" I ask, feeling stupid. He's quiet for a minute, then his eyes widen.

"Yeah! I remember!" Murtagh looks at me with a confused look. "Why?" He asks. I look at him.

"Because I could see one of them..." I say. He's quiet for a minute.

"But if you can see one of them then..." Murtagh stops talking, and looks at me with wide eyes. "Then you have to be related to one of them." He says. I look at Adrik with a 'WTF' look.

"I wonder what the hell I was doing in Palancar Valley if I'm related to one of the foresworn..." I mumble. Adrik growls, grabs Murtagh, and flies off.

"What the fuck!" Murtagh shouts when we get into the air. I sigh.  
_**  
*What in the world is wrong with you, Adrik?***_ I ask, holding on to the saddle for dear life.  
_**  
*Someone was going to attack us!***_ Adrik says, projecting the thought to Murtagh as well. My eyes widen.  
_**  
*Hey, Sher?***_ I hear a voice question in my mind. I sigh.  
_**  
*What is it, Eragon?***_ I question, and hear his mental sigh.  
_**  
*A few of the Varden's leaders would like to talk to you.***_ He says, sounding bored.  
_**  
*All right, I'll be there in a few hours.***_ I say, not really caring.  
_**  
*But...***_ Eragon begins.  
_**  
*NO! A few hours!***_ I snap before cutting the mental link.


End file.
